“Hopefully put myself in a prime spot for that ’24 season”– Daniel Ricciardo wants McLaren should contest for the world title in 2024.
Daniel Ricciardo has won an impressive number of Grand Prix races, but his only objective of winning a championship is still unaccomplished even after 10 years in the sport.
Ricciardo, before joining McLaren, impressed by their recent trajectory, felt that the Woking-based team could provide him with that opportunity. And now, according to him, the timeline should be by 2024, though he has a contract with them till 2023.
“I think we’ll have no excuses come the 2024 season. I understand that the team is on a great trajectory, but now there are still a few hurdles in place that are probably going to stop us, let’s say, fighting for a championship for the next year or two,” Ricciardo said.
“But it is a bit of a reality now that the windtunnel is a pretty big piece of the puzzle. It might be the last piece of the puzzle for the team,” he added.
“I think me, looking at it now, I really look to just to try and keep building on where I am now over the next couple of years with McLaren, and then hopefully put myself in a prime spot for that ’24 season. It sounds crazy to talk that far ahead. But yeah, sometimes you’ve got to think like that.”
McLaren, which has used Toyota’s windtunnel in Cologne for nearly a decade, announced in 2019 plans to build its own tunnel, although the construction – expected to take around two years – was dawdled by the pandemic.
Don’t get me wrong; I am trying
Ricciardo didn’t get an ideal start at McLaren, but the Australian feels he is trying hard to reach his maximum potential with the team, and his experience is helping him to stay calm in this situation.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely trying! I want all the glory today! But I guess the experience tells me that it’s definitely a process,” he said.
“But I guess with the age and wisdom, and probably maturity comes to some more composure than say when I was younger, expecting the world from everything, and it wasn’t happening. Then yeah, I probably would have thrown a few tantrums by now and lost it mentally, so to speak.
“So that’s where being here for a while now kinda helps take a breath, step back, go through it and understand that there’s a reason why things aren’t great right now. I need to find some answers as opposed to just throw my hands up and walk away from it all.”
